Improvement in switch-stands



Improvement in P. CARRlGAN.

Switch-Stamp Patented June 25 Witmm:

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

PATRICK OARRIGAN, OF STURGEON, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN SWITCH-STANDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,282, dated June 25, 1872.

Specification describing a new and Improved Railroad-Switch Latch, invented by PATRICK OARRIGAN, of Sturgeon, in the county of Boone and State of Missouri.

Figure 1 is a front view of my improved switch-latch, shown as applied to a switch lever and stand. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, partly in section, through the stand.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre* sponding parts.

My invention consists in arranging a hinged latch, provided with a long guide-pin and a short locking-pin, with the switch-lever and stand for the same, in such a manner that when the latch is swung outward and upward on its hinge, the said locking-pin will be withdrawn, while the guide-pin will be but partially so, thus enabling the requisite force to be applied to the switch-lever by means of the same latch, acting as a handle, and without danger of breaking its joint, as will be herein described.

A is the stand, to which the lever B is pivoted in the ordinary manner. To the side of the lever B, above the stand A, is hinged the upper end of the latch O, which is formed with a shoulder or offset, 0, to enter notches or sockets a in the curved top bar of the stand A. To the latch 0, above the stand A, is attached a pin, D, which is curved upon the arc of a circle, having its center at the axis of the hinge of the latch G. The curved pin D passes through a hole in the lever B, and has .a head or nut formed upon or attached to its free end to keep it from being drawn entirely out of the hole in the said lever. To the latch 0, directly opposite the top bar of the stand A, is attached a pin, E, curved in the same manner as the pin D. The pin E passes through a hole, a, in the top bar of the stand A, and through a hole in the lever B, as shown in Fig. 2. The curved pin E is made of such a length that the pin D will allow it to be fully withdrawn from the lever B and stand A to allow the position of the lever to be changed as required. Notches a and holes a are formed in the top bar of the frame A at the various points at which it is desired to have the lever B stand in regulating the switch. By this construction, in adjusting the position of the lever B, as the said lever comes into the required position the latch (3 drops by its own weight, the shoulder 0 entering the notch or socket a and the pin E passing through the hole a from which position no jarring of the switch can displace it; and the switch can only be released by raising the latch 0.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent- 1 The hinged pendent and shouldered latchbar 0, provided with the short locking-pin E and long-headed guide-pin D, in combination with the notched and perforated stand A and with the perforated switch-lever B, all as shown and described, to operate as specified.

. lu PATRICK GARRIGAN.

mark.

Witnesses:

S. F. Onoss, D. MULLEN. 

